Page 34 of Wild Promise

Tall, lean, and gorgeous, she sauntered over to us, her eyes flitting over me, Zane, and our interlocked hands. “Hey, handsome.” She smiled, her deep brown eyes lighting up. “Here to get hooked up?”

Nausea rolled through me. Who was this woman, and how did she know Zane? Or more importantly, how well did she know him?

“I am. Plus one extra,” he drawled cryptically. “Tonya, have you met Melina?”

“Not officially.” She turned her beaming grin my way.

With a deep breath, I forced myself to return her smile and stuck out my hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I hope we’re not interrupting your work.”

“Oh, girl…” Ignoring my outstretched hand, she leaned in to give me a short but tight hug. “You have no idea how happy this interruption makes me. No idea at all.”

When she pulled away, she shot Zane a knowing look, and even though I couldn’t explain why, something about it made me feel better. The sick feeling receded, leaving a gnawing pit of hunger in its wake.

“Stay right there, I’ve got you covered.” She rushed away, only to return a few minutes later with an overflowing bag of takeout.

This date had been one surprise after another. Yes, he’d taken me on a mini tour of the place where we worked—a place I spent more time at than my own home—but he was right about his insider knowledge. He’d shown me things I’d never taken the time to notice, introduced me to people I hadn’t bothered getting to know, and made me feel things that I’d never expected.

And the biggest surprise of all was Zane himself.

Everyone we’d met seemed to love him, and I was starting to understand why. Despite the chemistry between us, he’d been a complete gentleman, putting my needs first. He was affectionate, attentive, and polite. Nothing like his love ‘em and leave ‘em reputation.

But I’d already known he was more than his bad boy persona, hadn’t I? A lot more.

No matter how much I’d tried to fool myself into believing he was nothing more than a man-whore, I’d already known the truth.

I’d caught a glimpse of the real Zane Alexander the first time we’d kissed. He’d shown me a different side of himself that night, and even though it was only for a moment, it was enough to keep me enthralled for the past year. Denying it didn’t make our situation any less complicated.

Besides, it was just one night. So why bother lying to myself?

Now, with our takeout in hand and me in tow, he was showing me that side of himself again. We stalked out of the kitchen, through the halls, and straight out the front lobby doors to his truck. It was a gleaming black pickup that had to be worth more than my annual salary. The leather seats were heated, and the dashboard looked like a cockpit. Meanwhile, my Honda was held together by duct tape and prayer.

I sank into the warm leather and tried not to think about the gap between his life and mine. It was hard not to, though, surrounded by it like this. The truck smelled new. Like money and cedar. Everything about it reminded me that Zane Alexander came from a world I could only ever visit.

I didn’t bother asking where he was taking me, because I was still with him, so I didn’t really care. But when we pulled into a driveway I recognized, a niggling of doubt crept in.

I’d been here once before, but that night was a blur of grief and alcohol and a kiss I’d spent a year trying not to think about. Seeing it now, sober, the place looked different than I remembered. Nicer and a hell of a lot bigger, too. The stone facade, the wide porch, the landscaped yard that would bankrupt my family’s grocery budget.

“Wait there,” he ordered, hopping out of the truck and rushing around to my side.

A surge of cold air enveloped me when he opened my door, but the smile he hit me with warded off the chill. I turned my entire body to face him but didn’t leave my seat.

“Something wrong?” His brow furrowed with a look of sincerity.

I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “This is your place.”

“It is.”

“Yours? Not your family’s?”

He nudged my knees apart with his hips, crowding his way between my legs, his free hand dropping to my thigh. “Don’t make me carry you into my house, Melina.” His voice was a deep rumble that rolled straight through me. “Because I will, and there’s no one in there to save you. It’s my house. I own it. And no one lives here but me.”

“You own it?”

“Yeah, firecracker.” His hand slid up my leg, over my hip, and hooked around my back. “You sound surprised.”

“I find everything about you surprising, Zane Alexander.”

His eyes closed, and he dropped his forehead to mine. For a moment, I thought he might kiss me. Hell, I wanted him to kiss me. I’d wanted it for a lot longer than just this moment, too. But he pulled away on a deep sigh, his breath caressing over me, leaving me feeling flushed and confused.